The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-26

had been had, and / was at the depot to
take the train, when conversation be-
tween two young men became interest
ing.
"You ought to have told somebody"
protested one
"Yes, and been laughted at, replied
the other
"And he had ten thousand dollars"
eyes, double that"
"!And he was counting it on the bed|'
Yes"
sTll bet he was robber."
",Iay be, but he was off early in the
morning. Well, so long, Tom-herc's
the train"
The one who had seen some one count
ing money was going west BY my train.
and schemed to gei a seat with him and
draw him out. He was porter at one
of the hotels in Portage, and he had seen
guest answering Lanes description
counting such lot of money that 1t COZ
cred half the bed. The porter had made
his observations through the keyhole OF
the door, and, being ashamed of himself,
had hesitatcd to 90 to the landlord. The
m IN had arrived without baggage, but
had there purchased a valise, and his ner-
vous manner and the sight Of So much
money in his possession had led the por'
ter to finally conclude that there was a
mystery there somewhere, although he
had not spoken of it to any one around
the house. The man had purchased q
suit of coarse clothes, with hat AID shoes
to match, and in leaving had taken the
highway leading toward Oshkosh. tic
had purcha ed another bottle of hair dye
in oitage, but had apparently given bis
red hair up asa bad job. He not only
left the bottle in his room, but by means
of soap and water washed off what dye
h. had put on at Milwaukee.
Lane had given the landlord to under
stand that he was hard working young
man who had started out to look for a
Job, but he had departed without fixing
on anything definite. I did not believe
he would 90 t Oshkosh. He was acting
like man vino reasoned that if he could
hide himself away in the country for a
few weeks his crime and his ident ty
would both be forg ,tten. To catch the
embezzler without capturing his swag
would have been no credit to me. He
had several days the start of me, and had
by this time got job of some sort. |
procured rough suit of clothes, hired
a horse, and set OF on his trail. As he
had gone on foot with large valise IN
his hand it was easy to hear of him along
the road. He headed toward Oshkosh
for five or six niles, and then turned dl-
rectly north. 1t was in the fall OF the
year, and the roads we're in bad condl-
ton, out he made twenty -four miles that
first day. not stopping at all for dinner.
He went to the northeast for SIX miles,
to the north for ten miles, and then
be turned due west, almost on line with
[ . Crosse, and went eight miles before
stopp ng at an inn. I had only made the
same number of miles on horseback, but
as he had to lie by the next forenoon on
account Of the rain, while had good
weather, I gained half day on him. lie
proceeded toward Crosse for ten miles
more. and then went north two miles,
and stayed over night with farmer and
talked about going to workin saw mill.
Next day he headed due west, and
reached the Wisconsin River at a hamlet
called Little Bend 1t was on the sixth
day after he Lett Milwaukee that | 10.
Gated him, and he had then been at work
in q saw mill for 4 day and half. |
entered the hamlet Oh foot, as he had
done. having a few extra clothes in a
bundle, and it was soon known to the
seventy-fve or eighty population that l
was in search of work. The owner of
the only store in the place also kept sa-
loon and tavern, and, under pretcnse tf
being footsorc and used up, remained
idle for two or three days, although the
mill owner was short of hands and de-
sired me to 60 to work at once.
1t may be thought strange that l did
not at once arrest Lane and have done
with it. Had 1 overhauled him en- route
that would have been the plan, for the
money would have been in his valiSe. He
had taken board at the tavern. and dur
ing my first hall day there had found
his room open and his valise unlocked.
There was nothing in it which any one
would want to take away. He had, like
q sharp man. taken his money out and
it. lie could not justly suspect
that 1 was after him, for after three or
four days I went to work alongside of
him and held him at distance. HI
tried hard to get acquainted with me,
but | was taciturn and unsocial. He
gave me an opportunity to ask him ques.
tions, but refused to profit by it. l
for a purpoae, that l left Mil
waukee four or five days behind him,
and after seeming to reflect for while,
he asked:
"Was there any special news when
you lefta'
Il don't remember"
"No murders or robberies3"
"There was a mystery of some sort, |
believe. Somebody drew lot of money
out of the bank, fell into the hands of
sharpers, and they were looking in the
river and lake for his dead body"
limp he coughed, and that ended
our conversation, though l did not fail
to notice the look of qualification which
crept over his face, That he had hidden
the treasure was certain. That he would
visit it sooner or later was dead sure.
watched him closely during the day, and
| saw that he was nervous and preoccu-
pied. expected he would go out to in
spcct his treasure at night, and took
nv precautions that he should not es-
cape me, but he made no move. He went
to work on Friday noon of one week and
/ on Thursday of the next. When Sun
day week came it was a bright, warm
day, and made up my mind not to loose
sight of him for an hour. There were